Sluice Art Fair //
15-16 October //
2011



















Photos: Laura Mott

SLUICE is both exhibition space and platform for discussion and creation. Featuring an open layout for expansive installations, performative works and screenings including a multifaceted supporting programme consisting of a preview breakfast, panel discussions, art-making educational activities for children and young people and artist publishing bookstands.

Primarily (but not solely) focusing on artist run not-for-profit spaces, SLUICE does not wish to be didactic but rather provide an informal and accessible temporary platform for young galleries and project spaces to exhibit their artists’ work, gain exposure and encourage dialogue between artists, curators and audiences.

Located in central London, a few minutes walk from Bond Street Underground station. Running over the weekend of 15-16 October with late opening and free entry SLUICE is designed to enable access to all. SLUICE will serve as a punctuation point to the London Art Fair week.

SLUICE is organised by the London based artist Karl England and curator Ben Street.




Galleries and project spaces

+ Aid & Abet
Aid & Abet is a new artist-run project space co-founded by Sarah Evans, David Kefford and CJ Mahony in 2011. Aid & Abet provides a creative platform from a large warehouse space in Cambridge, UK for the production, presentation and dissemination of contemporary art, with a particular interest in cross-disciplinary, self-initiated and DIY approaches.

For Sluice Art Fair, Aid & Abet presents new and recent work by four artists based in the UK whose practice explores the transformation of everyday objects and materials using lo-tech media and processes. All four artists have a diverse approach to ideas, topics and themes and create works which range from the quotidian to the uncanny, the temporary to the psychological.

Martyn Cross | David Kefford | Alex Pearl | Emily Speed
  • www.aidandabet.co.uk
    • + ALISN
    ALISN is an artist-led collaborative arts organisation engaged in creating exhibition and networking opportunities for emerging artists. Since 2007 ALISN have worked with a wide variety of individuals and organisations within and outside the arts, making use of established and non-traditional sources of exhibition spaces and support.

    At Sluice Art Fair, ALISN presents ‘Scotoma’, curated by Bella Easton. 'Scotoma' assembles notions of absence of colour through a dialogue in surfaces – those of the space itself and of the works within it. Underpinned by the slick surface of the parquet floor of 26 South Molton Lane, the show is grown from the ground up through installation and sculpture, perorating with obsessively textural vertical works which delimit the space. The whole veers towards the domestic, as if emerging art, having stolen into this Mayfair setting, is intent on settling in; the objects in apparent collusion to become a living room for art.

    William Angus-Hughes | Matt Blackler | Bella Easton | John Gibbons | Denise Hickey | Brian Hodgson | Mandy Hudson | Marq Kearey | Michael Petry | Dahlia Westmoreland
  • www.alisn.org
    • + A Plan Projects
    Established in 2010 A Plan Projects is an artist led initiative, with a commitment to developing dialogues between contemporary artists. Not restrained by a fixed location, each A Plan project is curated in response to it’s surroundings, with artists often invited to make new work for the occasion.

    Using the spaces ‘in-between’ at the Sluice Art Fair A Plan Projects presents: "The road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom... for we never know what is enough until we know what is more than enough" William Blake

    Curated by A Plan Projects founder Catherine Bagg, this will showcase two of London’s most exciting emerging artists Poppy Jones and Lise Hovesen. Both of whom create works which question the effects of contemporary profligacy, at a time where the excesses of economy, information and image have been brought into sharp relief.
  • www.aplanprojects.com
    • + Banner Repeater
    BannerRepeater is an artist run reading room dedicated to artists printed material and project space, founded by Ami Clarke, 2009, on platform 1, Hackney Downs rail station, London. The project is driven by its location, dedicated to developing critical art in the public realm, in the natural interstice the platform and incidental footfall of over 4,000 passengers a day provides.

    The project space arts programme, of exhibitions, events and performance, publishes pamphlets and posters, which are free to take away. Ideas of publishing have pushed further many of the works in the arts programme.

    The emphasis on multiple points of dissemination, via pamphlets and posters published from the site, and the other free material we distribute, as well as on-line activities, and the siting of the archive of artists’ printed material as a public library; a resource to be utilised by both local community and visitors in a working station environment, is key.

    Banner Repeater will have a selection of art works from the project space, as well as artists publications from the reading room bookshop.
  • www.bannerrepeater.org
    • + Filmarmalade
    Filmarmalade is an artist run project established by Gordon Shrigley in 2007 to publish on DVD invited artists' films and video works and also to film extended interviews with the selected artists.

    During Sluice Filmarmalade will be screening on the hour a selection of video interviews directed by Gordon Shrigley of the following artists: Francisca Benitez, Brad Butler, Julia Dogra-Brazell, Aukje Dekker, Claudia Joskowicz, Kristian De La Riva, Karen Mirza, Kelvin Kyung Kun Park, Ralitza Petrova, Sara Preibsch, Adam Roberts, Emily Russell, Patricia Shrigley, Jenny Stark, Miranda Whall and Luciano Zubillaga.

    Gordon Shrigley is represented by IMT Gallery, London
  • www.filmarmalade.co.uk
  • www.gordon-shrigley.com
    • + Fordham Gallery
    Invited by Man Somerlinck, Director of the Fordham Gallery, curator Veronique Follet offers - recently graduated from RCA - Henrik Potter an opportunity for a new show. This exhibition will display superposed layers of varied materials, several stratums, resulting to form a feint simplicity.
  • www.mansomerlinck.co.uk
  • www.henrikpotter.com
    • + George and Jørgen
    Set up in the West-End of London in November 2010, George and Jorgen is a gallery that promotes work by both established and emerging contemporary artists, nationally and internationally. Sluice Art Fair will provide the platform for their forth off-site exhibition, organised by the gallery directors George Lionel Barker and Ingrid Reynolds.
  • www.georgeandjorgen.com
    • + The Mews Project Space
    Directed by Carlos Noronha Feio and Mikael Larsson, The Mews is an experimental project space in a generator powered out building located in an alley at the back of the Whitechapel Art Gallery.

    Founded in April 2009, one of the main aims of the space is to create links between the British and the Portuguese art scenes. With that aim, a program of two concurrent shows, where the artists are encouraged to develop a dialogue are put up almost every month. This program is strengthened by exhibitions and events organized by the Mews Team as well as by invited curators and spaces. The artist Nelson Crespo is the latest addition to the team and will help the Mews develop further a program of workshops and high quality artist editions. Concurrently to Sluice art fair Filipa Oliveira and Aldo Rinaldi, two curators, collaborated in a project that makes a visit to the east end of London be well worth it.

    For Sluice art fair The Mews will be presenting the project "Mercado de Futuros / Futures Market".
  • www.the-mews.org
    • + Shift Gallery
    SHIFT is an artist led project/installation space run by Paul Good and Kirsty Wood. Projects are run on a residency like format, where artist have up to a month to produce and install a sight specific installation.

    The space has been operational since November 2009, and in that time shows have focused on solo exhibitions. More recently SHIFT. has been invited to curate shows in other spaces, most recently a performance event in collaboration with Joe Watling at Angus Hughes Gallery.

    For sluice artfair SHIFT. has asked every artists who has had a solo show to make a maquette of, or a remnant from, their show. Collectively these works will be presented as (All Works 2009-2011).

    Matt Blackler | Patrick Coyle | Lee Holden | Mark Selby | Leonardo Ulian | Joe Watling | Adam Watts | less
  • www.shiftgallery.com
    • + Space In Between
    Founded in 2009 by Hannah Hooks and Laura McFarlane Space In Between is a curatorial collective and project space that - by way of in-house and off-site exhibitions, screenings, talks and events - provides a platform for artists at an important stage in their early careers.
  • www.spaceinbetween.co.uk
    • + studio1.1
    studio1.1, an artist run, not-for-profit space began in April 2003 with no particular battle-plan. We have evolved with a range of shows as diverse as possible, presenting artists at any stage of their career, from any country, in any discipline.

    Our commitment is to the work itself, and to fostering the three-way relationship between artist, artwork, and viewer; looking for what Cage, in another context, called ‘the quality of encounter’. Art isn’t a distraction, or an act of consumption, but a relationship.

    'Art attempts to evoke something that you are not yet. Entertainment only talks to that person that you are now.' (Richard Foreman)
  • www.studio1-1.co.uk
    • + Theodore:Art
    Theodore:Art is a contemporary art gallery and consultancy based in NYC, it presents exhibitions of works by emerging and established artists from the UK, EU and the US, in a variety of settings and contexts.

    By bringing a selection of emerging European artists to the US, Theodore:Art offers a window of opportunity to discover promising artists early in their careers.
  • www.theodoreart.com
    • + The Modern Language Experiment
    The Modern Language Experiment was established in 2009 by Matthew Stock and Keh Ng as an artist-led contemporary art project based in East London. Dedicated to the development of art exhibitions, talks, seminars and screenings that bring about discussion and contemplation of the changing language of art today.

    The Modern Language Experiment provides opportunities for both emerging and established artists, with an emphasis that seeks to engage a broad and diverse audience, increasing awareness of contemporary visual art in the city.

    A transitory project with no fixed abode there is an emphasis on utilizing unused buildings and project spaces.
  • www.modernlanguageexperiment.org
    • + Transition Gallery
    Transition is an independent and innovative, artist-run, London based gallery and publisher founded by artist Cathy Lomax in October 2002. The gallery shows work by both emerging and established contemporary artists as well as producing publications and periodicals such as Arty and Garageland.

    For Sluice Transition will be presenting 'Strip' - groups of 2D works that can be read as short connected series' by artists including Emma Talbot, Alli Sharma and Annabel Dover. There will also be a selection of Transition publications for sale.
  • www.transitiongallery.co.uk
  • www.artymagazine.com

    • Sluice Invites: Artists Projects

    + LEDGE
    Each year Sluice will invite one artists' project space to intervene in the space. For 2011 Sluice has invited LEDGE.

    LEDGE is a window sill that has a second life as a project space run by artist Rebecca Birch. Each LEDGE project will show a single new work by an invited artist. For Sluice Sarah Bowker-Jones will be showing with LEDGE.

    Sarah Bowker-Jones makes abstract painting and sculpture hybrids from an ever-evolving, experimental methodology. Driven by curiosity and passion for material possibilities she is inspired by the enigmatic beauty of non-verbal language. Many of her recent works are expandable, collapsible and interchangeable; collecting and proudly showing off traces of aging, fold marks, drill holes, scratched surfaces and crumbling edges. The many layers of creation and destruction build up forms, realised through chance as much as intention.
  • www.ledgeproject.org
  • www.bowker-jones.com

    • Artist Publishers

    + Banner Repeater Reading Room
    Banner Repeater is an artist run reading room dedicated to artists printed material and project space on platform 1, Hackney Downs rail station, London.

    The project is driven by its location, dedicated to developing critical art in the public realm, in the natural interstice the platform and incidental footfall of over 4,000 passengers a day provides.

    The reading room holds a collection of artist's books and other printed material, for both browsing and purchase. The permanent collection is home to Publish and be Damned's public library.

    The emphasis on multiple points of dissemination, via pamphlets and posters published from the site, and the other free material we distribute, as well as on-line activities, and the siting of the archive of artists ’ printed material as a public library; a resource to be utilised by both local community and visitors in a working station environment, is key.

    Reading room. Banner Repeater will have a selection of artists publications from the reading room bookshop,as well as some new works including: THEARTISTSBOOKANEWHISTORY by Michael Hampton.
  • www.bannerrepeater.org
    • + Artlicks
    Artlicks focuses on London's artist run spaces, collectives, curatorial groups, exhibitions, performances & non profit galleries. At Sluice Artlicks will be presenting its Magazine
  • www.artlicks.com
    • + Rong-Wrong
    The Amsterdam based project Rong-Wrong launches its premiere issue at Sluice
  • www.rong-wrong.com


    • Saturday 15th

    12 - 4pm // Sluice Kids
    Art-making activities for children aged between 6 and 12, led by Ben Street (National Gallery education department). No booking required.
    12 - 10pm // Filmarmalade screenings
    Filmarmalade shall be screening the following artists video interviews directed by Gordon Shrigley

    12pm 'An interview with Julia Dogra-Brazell' with Anna Thew & Helen De Witt. 2008

    1pm 'An Interview with Mirza/Butler & David Cunningham' with Sas Mays & Nicky Hamlyn. 2008

    2pm 'An interview with Claudia Joskowicz' with Saul Ostrow and Sara Reisman, 2008

    3pm 'An interview with Sara Preibsch' with Laura Cull & Andrew Fisher, 2008

    4pm 'An interview with Patricia Shrigley' with Kirsty Harris & Jockel Liess, 2008

    5pm 'An interview with Kelvin Kyung Kun Park' with Jeff Rogers & Patrick Smith, 2009

    6pm 'An Interview with Adam Roberts' with Miranda Pennell & Jonathan Romney, 2009

    7pm 'An interview with Jenny Stark' with Elaine Gale & Edward Ortiz, 2009

    8pm 'An Interview with Francisca Benitez' with Katie Guggenheim & Dan Smith. 2009

    9pm 'An interview with Miranda Whall' with Marilyn Allen & Tracey Warr, 2009
    3 - 4pm // PERFORMANCE: Rainer Ganahl
    Rainer Ganahl will be performing 'Engel's condition of the working class revisited' which is a talk about the condition of the working class in england. This will be taking place in The Modern Language Experiment's space.
  • www.ganahl.info
    • 4 - 5.30pm // PERFORMANCE: Simon Linington & William Mackrell
    Artists Simon Linington & William Mackrell will be performing Take Two via a live streaming video link from their studio
  • www.spaceinbetween.co.uk
    • 4 - 5.30pm // PERFORMANCE: Edwina Ashton
    Edwina Ashton's performances feature shamanic representations of the animal world that are by turns hilarious, troubling and moving. For Sluice, Edwina will be performing with Julia McKInlay and Laura Phillips.

    Edwina's recent exhibitions, screenings and performances include Rude Britannia: British Comic Art, Tate Britain, London; No more furniture, WORKS|PROJECTS, Bristol (solo); Shudder, Animate Projects/The Drawing Room, London (solo, all 2010); Independent State, Foreground, Somerset (solo); Gallery Termite, performance with Jordan Mckenzie and Aaron Williamson, studio1.1, London (solo); Animal Prospects, Georg Kolbe Museum, Berlin; Rotate, Contemporary Art Society, London; Drawing Tales, Citric, Brescia, Italy; From the Sublime to the Ridiculous, Teverina Fine Art, Athens; Creatures, Project Space, London; Pictopia, Pictoplasma, Berlin (all 2009).
  • www.axisweb.org
    • 6 - 8pm // Panel Discussion
    Looking at the nature of art fairs within the contemporary art world as a whole - are they necessary? What's their relationship or even impact on art production? What's the effect on the way art is digested and understood by the wider public beyond the art world in-crowd?

    Panelists: Jasper Joffe Artist and founder of the Free Art Fair. Cathy Lomax Artist and founder of Transition Gallery. Alistair Gentry Artist, member of Market Project and writer of Career Suicide an exposé about the realities of the art world.
    8 - 9pm // PERFORMANCE: Alexander Costello
    Artist Alexander Costello will be performing 'The Vitruvian Project'
  • www.alexandercostello.com

    • Sunday 16th

    12 - 9pm // Filmarmalade screenings
    Filmarmalade shall be screening the following artists video interviews directed by Gordon Shrigley

    12pm 'An interview with Aukje Dekker' with Katie Guggenheim & Paul O'Kane, 2010

    1pm 'An interview with Kristian De La Riva & Emily Russell' with Dan Smith & Gary Colcough, 2010

    2pm 'An Interview with Luciano Zubbillaga' with Helen De Witt & Andrew Fisher, 2010

    3pm 'An Interview with Ralitza Petrova' with Cally Spooner & Elena Crippa, 2010

    4pm 'An Interview with Mirza/Butler & David Cunningham' with Sas Mays & Nicky Hamlyn. 2008

    5pm 'An interview with Aukje Dekker' with Katie Guggenheim & Paul O'Kane, 2010

    6pm 'An interview with Kristian De La Riva & Emily Russell' with Dan Smith & Gary Colcough, 2010

    7pm 'An Interview with Luciano Zubbillaga' with Helen De Witt & Andrew Fisher, 2010

    8pm 'An Interview with Ralitza Petrova' with Cally Spooner & Elena Crippa, 2010
    12 - 3pm // PERFORMANCE: We buy from the poor and sell to the rich
    As her contribution to the Sluice art fair performance programme, artist Rosalie Schweiker has asked market trader Jo Waterhouse to set up her stall in the exhibition space.

    Jo will sell things she usually hawks at Spitalfields market on Thursdays.

    Rosalie has written a short text about the work, which can be bought for 5p at Jo's stand.
  • www.emely.wikispaces.com
  • www.rosalie-schweiker.wikispaces.com
  • www.tootasinfoot.blogspot.com
    • 3 - 4pm // PERFORMANCE: Kate Janes
    Kate Janes will be contributing to the Sluice art fair by doing a performance entitled ‘ Demonstration’, where there will be a series of drawings made and objects photographed in the space.
  • www.katejanes.co.uk
    • 4 - 6pm // PERFORMANCE: Alex Baker and Kit Poulson
    Alex Baker and Kit Poulson present 'Conversation of the Dud Men'
  • www.alexbaker.co.uk
  • www.kitpoulson.com
    • 7 - 9pm // Finissage
    The closing pv will run from 7-9pm. See below for details of the accompanying performances
    7 - 9pm // PERFORMANCE: Ladies of the Press
    The Ladies of the Press* are Ana Čavić and Renée O’Drobinak: a performative press duo that re-imagines the role of the publisher and the publicist into a theatrical persona. Their decidedly multifarious practice involves mincing together print and performance in impromptu settings, often with unexpected results—in print, but not necessarily printed. Their work, on or off the page, enacts a ‘press’ through a multitude of guises, reinterpreting the act of “pressing” in an ongoing series of performances that play on the rules and roles of publishing, engage with a readymade idea of press and locate it firmly in contemporary art practice.

    LIVE PRESS! is the Ladies' signature performance of impromptu gazette-making, opening up a”press desk” at various events and creating an on-site gazette filled with live documentation, peripheral material, interviews, doodles, finished pieces and any other quirk that we deem fit.

    LIVE PRESS! is a living, on-going documentation made in situ, and an alternative A5 exhibition site that fits snugly into your bag. Created from a simple setup of a scanner, a camera, laptops and our household printers, we are open to both pre-event and on-site submissions from exhibitors, performers, and visitors alike.
  • www.ladiesofthepress.org/
    • 7 - 9pm // PERFORMANCE: Simon Linington & William Mackrell
    Artists Simon Linington & William Mackrell will be performing Take Two via a live streaming video link from their studio during the private view
  • www.spaceinbetween.co.uk